MRSA From Farm Animals Found In Humans In UK For First Time

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 6-3-2008 | Harry Wallop

[blam]

MRSA from farm animals found in humans in UK for first time

By Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 12:51AM BST 03/06/2008

Three people have been infected with a form of MRSA usually found in pigs, the first time any humans in Britain have been infected by an animal strain of the superbug. The variation has been found in farm animals and humans on the Continent, causing serious heart, bone, blood and skin diseases, as well as pneumonia.

Dr Giles Edwards, the director of the Scottish MRSA Reference Laboratory, said three people in Scotland had contracted the strain, known as ST398, in recent months.

"A lot of the patients who got this infection in Holland and Canada have been people who work with animals, such as farmers and vets. But none of the three individuals in Scotland have been in contact with animals, not that we could find."

All three patients have recovered, he added.

The Soil Association, the organic food charity, called on the Government to step up its testing for farm animals, pointing out that this strain is just as deadly and infectious as that found in hospitals.

An EU survey to assess MRSA among British pigs is due to conclude in December.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

Who’s been messing with the sheep this time?

[Chgogal]

Interesting.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Just to clarify, MRSA and VRE are bacteria, not viruses.

[Peelod]

Pork Warning: MRSA Found On Supermarket Shelves

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_20785.aspx

[SIDENET]

Who’s been messing with the sheep this time?

Pigs, not sheep.

(Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

[neverdem]

Thank you for the ping.

[neverdem]

micro ping

[highimpact]

"A lot of the patients who got this infection in Holland and Canada have been people who work with animals, such as farmers and vets. But none of the three individuals in Scotland have been in contact with animals, not that we could find."

?!

[Smokin' Joe]

MRSA ping...(Thanks, neverdem!)

[robomatik]

"...three individuals in Scotland have been in contact with animals, not that we could find."

"i never had sexual relations with that ________." oh never mind.

[vetvetdoug]

With all the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in farm animals, I am not surprised that a superbug hasn't come from this sector before. Because some food animals are tainted with antibiotics at slaughter, these animals go into pet food. The veterinary profession has been dealing with some real nasty organisms in dogs and cats for years.

[reformedliberal]

However, with the Soil Association invlved, this is going to be an attack on livestock and meat eating.

[redgolum]

When my father raised hogs (he had to get out in the 90’s), we were very careful to make sure we followed all the time delays when using medications. Every once in a while, you had to wait for a bit before you sent them to town, but my father is a by the book type of guy.

When I got into industry, I was shocked to find he is the exception, not the norm. Especially on the mega farms.

[MarMema]

Ditto, along with the overcrowding and poor living conditions that necessitated the overuse of antibiotics to begin with.